angel
/ˈeɪndʒəl/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
ángelos — messenger
Overview
Meaning Now
- A spiritual being in certain religions, serving as a messenger or attendant of God.
- A person of exemplary goodness, kindness, or beauty.
Literal older meaning
messenger
Language path
Ancient Greek → Late Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
angel
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The term originated as a general word for a human messenger in Greek. Its primary modern association with celestial beings was established through its use in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible (the Septuagint) to translate the Hebrew word 'malakh', specifically referring to heavenly messengers.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek (5th century BCE)
ángelos
“messenger”
Used in both secular and later religious contexts.
- Late Latin
angelus
“divine messenger”
Direct borrowing from Greek via Christian influence.
- Old French (11th century)
angele
“divine messenger”
- Middle English (12th century)
angel
“spiritual being”
Connections
Word parts
angel
root
messenger
Related across languages
French
ange
angel
Spanish
ángel
angel
German
Engel
angel
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Related to angel
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.